Keeping Promises
by Miss Madd
Summary: When there are promises you just can't keep, you need to pass them down to someone else... some memories may hurt, but you still need to remember... 'Hai, Naruto… I’ll bring SasukeUchiha home… and then I’ll kill him.' Hinted ShikaNaru, character death


Keeping Promises

By: Madd Envy Freak

Summary: Though some memories are painful, they must be remembered to keep promises to those you held dear… a short hinted ShikaNaru ficlet, character death

NOT BETA'd! BEEEWARe!

---

The Hokage drummed his fingers on the top of his desk, utter boredom plastered on his face. The sixth Hokage was said to be many things, one of which was a complete and utter slacker. He was proud to admit he was even considered more of a slacker than the Fifth.

Sighing, he glanced at the picture than sat upon his desk. A slight smile twitched across his lips as he took in the blonde, hyperactive ninja and his spiky pineapple-headed companion. Chuckling, he shook his head at the memories of the former antics of who came to be his first, and only, love.

His eyes softened slightly as he turned away from the picture and looked towards the knocking at his office door.

"Enter."

"Hokage-sama," Neji, hidden behind a panther mask, bowed, "the Uchiha is ready for sentencing. The council has agreed that you're opinion in the matter is most important for this case."

The Hokage rolled his eyes and nodded as he stood, pulling his hat over his eyes as he followed the somber Hyuuga out. It was about time Sasuke Uchiha was healed enough to be able to receive judgment…

A slight smile flickered over his face as he thought of his particular verdict and sentence.

---

The Sixth Hokage of Konoha, the village hidden in the leaves, looked down at one named Uchiha Sasuke. The last of the Uchiha line. The one he had been waiting for a week to recover so he could cast his verdict.

"Send him to the firing squad."

The Uchiha's eyes widened slightly in disbelief, but they quickly returned to their narrowed shape, "What ever happened to promising to bring me back to Konoha, Hokage-sama."

"Tch. It's troublesome, but I promised to bring you back. I never promised Naruto I would keep you alive. I've kept my promise, now you will die as you should have in Naruto's place."

With a final nod to the ANBU, Shikamaru turned sharply away from the ground and exited the building, tuning out the angry cries from the villagers. Let them be angry. He didn't care.

---

_Shikamaru crawled over to his fallen comrade, panting heavily, "Naruto, get up! If you lay there, you're going to die, idiot! And it's too troublesome to drag you back myself!"_

_Naruto cracked one eye open and grinned at Shikamaru weakly, "H-hey, pineapple head…Looks like I'm in pretty r-rough shape, huh?"_

"_You'll be fine, Naruto." Shikamaru muttered, trying to stop the blood the gushed from the gaping hole in the blonde's stomach._

"_W-well, I guess I couldn't keep my promise, after all… nay?"_

"_Naruto. You will be fine, you're too troublesome to die this way."_

_Naruto shook his head weekly, "I thought… I thought I could save him, Shika… Neji always said I had better eyes than him… I guess he wasn't as s-smart as he thought…"_

_Shikamaru shook his head, muttering about idiot blondes as he applied a fresh compress, telling himself that the bleeding was slowing, NOT speeding up._

"_Nay, Shika… promise me… promise me you'll become Hokage."_

"_What? Naruto, stop being a troublesome idiot--you'll be Hokage."_

"_H-Humor he, Shika… please…"_

_Shikamaru sighed, "I promise."_

_Naruto nodded weakly and closed his eyes, "Now promise you'll bring Sasuke home…"_

_Gulping, Shikamaru nodded, "Hai, Naruto."_

_Shikamaru's fingers clenched as he watched the normally bright, sapphire eyes become dim and the body go limp. He didn't know how long he stayed there, clutching the body of his dead friend, but by the time the medi-nins had arrived… the body had become cold._

Shikamaru sighed heavily as he set the white flowers in front of the grave stone. Crouching down, he muttered, "Tch, it's been troublesome, but I've brought the Bastard home."

"_You know, Shikamaru," Asuma grinned as he puffed his cigarette, "You're smart enough to become Hokage someday."_

"_Tch. That's too troublesome."_

"_Someday, I'll be Hokage and bring Sasuke back! Believe it!"_

"_Tch. You're troublesome, Naruto… But I'll help you. This next mission won't fail."_

"_Nay, Shika… promise me… promise me you'll become Hokage."_

"_What? Naruto, stop being a troublesome idiot--you'll be Hokage."_

"_H-Humor he, Shika… please…"_

_Shikamaru sighed, "I promise."_

_Naruto nodded weakly and closed his eyes, "Now promise you'll bring Sasuke home…"_

_Gulping, Shikamaru nodded, "Hai, Naruto."_

_Hai, Naruto… I'll bring Sasuke-Uchiha home… and then I'll kill him._

--------------------------------

The End


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